(May 14, 2026) At present, China's silica industry is moving from the output of basic production capacity to a new stage of modification and functional customization. Recently, a number of local enterprises have achieved breakthroughs in key processes such as hydrophobic modification, surface grafting, and nanodispersion, and the application performance of modified silica in rubber, silicone, coatings, and rubber and plastic products has been greatly improved, effectively breaking the monopoly of foreign high-end products and providing important support for the downstream new materials and new energy industry chains to reduce costs and increase efficiency.

For a long time, the general precipitation method of silica is mainly based on general fillers, and the product homogenization is serious, and the performance is limited to basic reinforcement. The functional silica after surface modification has the characteristics of strong hydrophobicity, good dispersion, controllable oil absorption value, and excellent compatibility, which can greatly improve tire wear resistance, silicone rubber weather resistance, coating settling resistance, and silicone additives spreading and penetrating ability. In the past, such high-end modified products mostly relied on imports, and the procurement cost was high, which restricted the large-scale application of domestic downstream enterprises.

With the gradual maturity of domestic modification technology, the cost-effective advantages of domestic high-end modified silica have become prominent. In the field of tires, modified high-dispersion silica can reduce tire rolling resistance and adapt to the low energy consumption needs of new energy vehicles. In the field of agricultural silicone, special modified silica can improve the adhesion of chemical liquids and the resistance to rainwater erosion. In scenarios such as photovoltaic adhesives, electronic seals, and leather slippers, customized modified products have replaced imported materials in batches.

At the same time, downstream application enterprises reported that after the use of domestic modified silica, the comprehensive procurement cost of raw materials can be reduced by 15%-25%, and the supply stability has also been significantly improved. With the rapid expansion of downstream new energy, fine chemicals, and high-end rubber and plastic industries, the market demand for specialized and customized silica is growing rapidly, forcing upstream enterprises to increase R&D investment, from "selling powders" to "selling formulas and application solutions".

Industry experts believe that the core competitiveness of the silica industry is no longer the scale of production capacity, but the ability to adapt surface modification technology to downstream scenarios. In the future, special modified silica in subdivided fields will become the main increment of the industry, and the continuous iteration of domestic technology will further open up the whole industrial chain from basic powder to functional materials, and promote the continuous improvement of the independent and controllable level of China's new material industry.

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